The Rampant Scotland Newsletter - your weekly insight into what has been happening in Scotland, snipped from the Scottish media, for Scots in Scotland and abroad, bringing you news, events plus a Scottish magazine section. Printed with 100% recycled electrons.Previous editions of this Newsletter are available in the Archive> and the Index to the other pages of the Rampant Scotland site is available here>.
The Scottish Snippets Newsletter in its original format began in April 1997 and continued in an unbroken series for 591 issues. Although no longer produced in that format there is now a regular update on the new and updated pages on the Rampant Scotland site and also "Scottie's Diary" on an intermittent basis, To receive this, kust send an e-mail to Scottie with "Subscribe Newsletter" in the subject line.
Current Affairs
Historical Affairs - Topical Items from Scotland's Past
Entertainment
Scots Abroad
Sport
St Johnstone's defeat by Partick Thistle earlier in the week all but kills any hope of overtaking Gretna at the top of the First Division. Gretna did only manage a draw on Saturday - but are still 7 points ahead. Airdrie are struggling at the foot of the division, 4 points adrift from Ross County.
In the Second Division, Greenock Morton defeat by second place Stirling Albion has reduced Greenock's margin at the top to just one point - though they do have a game in hand. Forfar are 11 points behind Stranraer at the other end of the table.
Berwick Rangers have three points more than Queens Park at the top of the Third Division, while East Stirling trail Elgin by 4 points at the foot of that table. East Stirling have two games in hand - though whether they can get any points from them, remains to be seen.
Magazine Section
Where else would you like to go in Scotland?
Three Million Visitors
2006 was a record-breaking year for Historic Scotland with over three million visitors to its properties for the first time. That was at the 75 sites across the country where an entry charge is made - many of the 270 other smaller sites are unmanned and so no record of numbers calling there can be provided. The visitor numbers were up by 6% overall over the previous year. Of course, major attractions such as Edinburgh Castle (1.2 million visitors) and Stirling Castle take the lion's share. But some of the lesser-known sites had sharp rises in visitor numbers. Doune Castle, the medieval fortress where Monty Python and the Holy Grail was filmed, saw a 28% increase (to 35,121) and visitor numbers to Kisimul Castle, off Barra, rose 23% (to 4,222). Other sites, such as Iona Abbey, Inchmahome Priory on the Lake of Menteith and Threave Castle (the island fortress of Archibald the Grim), also saw large increases. There are also some popular sites where no staff and ticketing are in place and so no accurate numbers are available. These include the medieval village of Skara Brae and the Ring of Brodgar (World Heritage sites on Orkney).
Output and Jobs Doing Well
The latest economic report by the Royal Bank of Scotland suggests that although there was a UK-wide slowdown in the economy, Scotland was still doing well, with output at a rate approaching the six-and-a-half-year high of last December. The index rose from its January level, recording its 44th successive month of positive results. Even so, the rate of expansion in Scotland still lags the UK as a whole - the country was only 8th of the 12 UK nations and regions in the growth league in February. The travel, tourism and leisure sectors helped boost the Scottish growth rate between January and February and Scotland's business and financial services sectors also performed well. Figures from the Office for National Statistics suggest that part of the extra output is due the number of people in employment in Scotland which has reached an all-time high. 76.2% of the population of working age are now in employment. In January this year, 2.51 million were in paid employment - up 53,000 on the previous year and the highest figure since records in this form began in 1992.
Scottish Nurses Paid More
With an election looming in May, the Scottish Health Minister Andy Kerr has accelerated the implementation of this year's pay increase for nursing staff and other professionals in the National Health Service (NHS). The UK-wide agreement was for a phased implementation, with 1.5% in April and 1% in November. But staff in Scotland will get the full 2.5% in April. While that has delighted the workers in Scotland, their colleagues south of the border are incensed and are calling for the same treatment. 2.5% is not exactly a generous increase, bearing in mind wage increases in other sectors, so any improvement on the phasing is being welcomed by those involved.
Vision of Underground Network
Glasgow's elderly and creaking subway system may be set for a major overhaul and expansion. The present system was created in 1896 and literally goes round in circles, with two tracks in two separate tunnels - one going clockwise and the other anti-clockwise. It covers a distance of 6.5 miles (10.5 kilometres) taking in the city centre and looping westwards. In 1979 it was modernised and the new trains were given an orange livery. The local Glaswegians immediately dubbed it the "Clockwork Orange". Since then, the trains have been repainted a different colour, but the name has stuck. Now consultants have reported on the options available for its future and the most ambitious would be another circle line, this time taking in points to the east, such as Duke Street, Celtic Park football stadium and Gorbals. The new line would join the existing one in the city centre. The present system would be upgraded too, possibly with the introduction of new computer controlled trains that would not require a driver on board. Of course, such projects don't come cheap - £2.6 billion is the consultants' first estimate. Others think it could cost twice that.
West Coast Rail Line Reopens
It has taken two weeks to clear the debris and repair the track after the train crash in Cumbria, in the north of England, disrupted rail services between Glasgow and the south. All nine carriages came off the track on February 23 when the London to Glasgow express was derailed due to faulty points. During the closure, rail travellers either had to travel via the east coast main line or use a bus service which went round the crash site.
Rail Strike Suspended
The further 48-hour strikes threatened by signal workers on Scotland's rail network were suspended this week by their trade union after further negotiations with Network Rail. Agreement had been reached on the introduction of a 35-hour week with (surprise, surprise) both sides claiming "victory". But the strikes are only "suspended" with a successful conclusion needed for further "local talks".
National Indoor Arena for Casino Site
Land was reserved beside the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre (SECC) for the failed bid to create a super-casino in Glasgow. Now it is to be used instead to build a new National Indoor Arena, seating 12,500 people. Subject to detailed planning permission, work on a new multi-storey car park will begin next year with work on office accommodation starting the following year, with a finish date of 2010. The creation of a new hotel is likely start that year with completion in 2011.
New Kincardine Bridge Making Progress
For the many drivers slowed to a crawl on the present Kincardine Bridge, linking Falkirk across the river Forth to Clackmannan and Fife, the sight of a second bridge being constructed a short distance away is a tantalising glimpse of a better future. Over the next two weeks, the support structure will be pushed about 45 metres out over the river. The bridge deck (just one lane in each direction) will be 1.2 kilometres (0.75 miles) long, weigh 35,000 tonnes and sit on 25 piers, each of which is filled with 840 tonnes of concrete. Work also involves the construction of around four miles of approach roads and that is contributing further to the current traffic delays. The project is costing £120 million and should be completed by the end of 2008. But any hope of removing a traffic bottle-neck will be dashed - at least for a while. The present Kincardine Bridge will be closed for a long spell to allow "essential maintenance" to be carried out.
Cafe Culture for Ayr
Robert Burns, from nearby Alloway, described Ayr at the end of the 18th century as "the town of honest men and bonnie lasses". Now a £300 million plan to modernise Ayr town centre and seafront has been unveiled. Local councillors and the enterprise development organisation in the area want to bring it into the 21st century - but without losing its historic character. They have used as a blueprint the way in which the Merchant City in Glasgow has been redeveloped, using existing buildings which have been brought up-to-date, with cafes and restaurants providing seating on the pavements outside, thus creating a more "continental" atmosphere. It is hoped that cafes, bistros and streetscapes similar to those in the Merchant City will give Ayr a modern edge. A four-storey hotel and conference centre is also part of the plan and the main bus station may be incorporated into an extended railway station.
Vote for Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum
Since it reopened last July after a major refurbishment, the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum has seen unprecedented numbers of visitors, with over two million in the first seven months alone. That makes it Scotland's top tourist attraction. Now the museum is hoping to turn that popularity into winning the valuable Gulbenkian Prize for museums and galleries. Quite apart from the prestige of being chosen as the best amongst a gallery of contenders, there is a £100,000 cash prize for the winner - largest arts prize in the UK. While it is the judges who will choose the winner, one of the criteria is the extent to which people are supportive of the museum project. To help to measure that there is a Web site with an on-line poll. Kelvingrove managers are hoping for a big response - and anyone can log on and vote. The address is at the 24-hour Museum Clicking on the option to vote for Kelvingrove automatically generates an e-mail to send to the 24-hour Museum. Every vote counts!
City Council to Straighten Squinty Bridge Problems
After driving motorists round the bend since it opened a few months ago, Glasgow City Council has at last accepted that the planners got it wrong when designing the road layout for the Clyde Arc (better known locally as the "Squinty Bridge" because it crosses the river diagonally between Finnieston and Pacific Quay). Local tax-payers might be forgiven for being annoyed that the experts got it so wrong, as they added all sorts of restrictions on left and right turns onto and leaving the bridge on both sides. The bridge was created to provide easy access for BBC Scotland and other companies moving to the "media village" at Pacific Quay. It achieves that - but travellers to other locations either have to make a detour - or break the law and ignore the signs. While the proposed changes will help, it is clear that a lack of foresight has made the crossing far less useful than it could have been.
National Park Aims to Grow Revenue 50%
Both of Scotland's national parks had their "master plans" for the next five years approved by the Scottish Executive this week. They cover a broad review of policy and focus on "sustainable development" - which means all things to all men, as it tries to maintain a balance between economic growth and conservation. In the case of Cairngorms National Park Authority (the newest and largest of Britain's national parks), the aim is to increase its revenue by 50% over the next eight years. Currently, the park authority has an income of £4.63 million a year, but £4.59 million of that comes from a grant from the Scottish Executive and tax payers in general. But the intention is to increase the number of businesses in the area obtaining accreditation from VistScotland and so increase its income. The park plan proposes to encourage crofters to farm the rugged terrain around the Cairngorms, maintain the deer population and increase the availability of rented and owned housing. Even though the Cairngorms park covers 1,460 square miles, there are persistent calls for it to be enlarged further, to take in the mountains to the south which are in Perthshire.
Curbs on Loch Louts
The Scottish Executive this week extended the area covered by an 11kph (6.8mph) speed limit for powered craft on Loch Lomond from 22% of the area to 30% and made it compulsory to wear life-jackets for such users. The aim is to "enhance quiet enjoyment and improve safety" and encourage more families and tourists to visit. And National Park "green police" will enforce the rules on the water and crack down on vandalism and litter louts on the shore. Anyone breaking park regulations will be reported directly to the Procurator Fiscal who can decide to take them to court.
Wi-Fi West End
Free, high-speed Internet access via wi-fi technology is to be made available to the West End of Glasgow, including the major shopping area around Byres Road and Glasgow University. Nine lamp-posts will be replaced with disguised transmitters to create the network. The scheme is an extension of a successful trial in the city centre where there are 12 transmitters which provide services for customers of the major mobile phone companies. There are also ongoing discussions about providing wi-fi access in all 15 of Glasgow's Subway stations.
Highland Clearances Statue for Winnipeg
'The Emigrants' memorial was to have been a 30 feet high bronze sculpture depicting a Clearance family on top of a 90 feet high plinth on the top of a 600 feet high hill, overlooking the village of Helmsdale in Sutherland below. The original plan was intended as a counterpoint to the infamous statue of the Duke of Sutherland, which towers above the village of Golspie and the Duke's Dunrobin Castle, 17 miles to the south. The aim was to establish a memorial to the victims of the Highland Clearances - and their contribution to the countries in which they settled. However, due to financial problems, the project had to be scaled down and instead a 10 feet high sculpture of a man, a boy and a woman carrying a baby was placed in a park in the village. Now a copy of the four-ton statue has been created by Black Isle Bronze in Nairn and will be shipped across the Atlantic to Canada. It will be unveiled there by the St Andrew's Society in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Another replica may be commissioned by an organisation in Nova Scotia.
Black Gold Bonanza for Aberdeen
The city of Aberdeen has benefitted greatly for many years from the North Sea oil and gas exploration and production. Now a new bonanza is on the horizon for some home owners in the Granite City. In September, 30,000 oil and gas professionals from 108 countries will be attending Offshore Europe, the industry's biennial showcase exhibition and conference. On previous occasions, participants have sometimes had to stay in hotels as far away as Dundee or even Inverness (100 miles away). So this year the organisers are offering local residents the opportunity to make a small fortune by renting out their property for the four-day event. A number of local castles are already available, charging over £300 per person per night. Even a two-bedroom flat in the city itself will make £300 a night. At that price, residents could afford to have a holiday in the sun for the duration of the conference.
Glasgow Smiles Better
In the 1980s, Glasgow adopted a "Glasgow's Miles Better" slogan (which could also be read as "Glasgow Smiles Better"). A Mr Happy children's character was also part of the popular campaign. Now a "happiness survey" run by HSBC bank has shown that nearly 75% of people in the city report that they feel "happy". That put Glasgow in 17th place in the UK city and town league table, in which Bournemouth in the south of England came top with 80% of residents saying that they were happy. Motherwell in Lanarkshire came in at 28th, with Edinburgh 43rd and Aberdeen trailing a bit at 70th. Maybe it's those long, dark winter nights affecting the Aberdonians?
Weather in Scotland This Week
Yet another changeable weather pattern this week, with showers and brighter, sunny intervals. Once again, strong winds have been a feature, making the maximum daytime temperature of around 10/12C (50/54) feel a bit chillier than that. And just as we thought that spring was well and truly established, the weather forecasters tell us that there is a distinct risk of persistent snow over the next few days, accompanied by winds gusting at up to 65mph. Maximum daytime temperatures will only be around 4/5C (39/41F) and the easterly winds will make it feel even colder than that.
The picture above of cherry blossom was taken earlier this week - when the sun was shining...
This Week's Colour Supplement
This week's large format photographs taken in Scotland to show the current season and its flora and fauna include Polyanthus flowers; raindrops on Crocus; large cup-shaped flowers of the Helleborus; easyJet Airbus A319 on its approach to Glasgow airport; Rhododendron flowers (see thumbnail here); Prunus flowers.
See this week's Colour Supplement.
Scottish Economist on Bank of England Note
It may just be a coincidence that the Bank of England decided to replace English composer Sir Edward Elgar's image on their £20 note with that of Scottish economist Adam Smith. But Smith was born in Kirkcaldy in Fife - which is part of the constituency of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown. Adam Smith is best known for his book "The Wealth of Nations" which is often regarded as laying the foundation for concepts such as economic competition, market forces and capitalism. A sample of the note was sent to the Adam Smith College in Kirkcaldy by the Bank of England. bearing the low serial number 000010.
Gasworks Light Up Edinburgh History
Archaeologists have been sifting through the remains of Edinburgh's very first gasworks - which first opened nearly 200 years ago. The building was later demolished and in the 1930s it was covered over by a bus depot. The site, to the east of Waverley station and overlooked by the new City Council offices, is being redeveloped again. So the researchers have had the opportunity to dig into Edinburgh's industrial past. The gas production facility was one of the first to be purpose-built in Britain. It provided the fuel for streetlamps in Princes Street and the city's factories. The foundations of one of the chimney-stacks rising above the building shows that it would have been the tallest structure in the Capital at that time. There are plans to create a 3D computer model of the building and put it on display. It is hoped to have an open day on the site to let present-day Edinburghers see something of their industrial past.
Next Week in Scottish History
Rainbow Over Edinburgh
A seven-minute film, made up of time-lapse photography shot over Edinburgh, has become an instant success on YouTube and other online video sites. Made up of thousands of photographs taken over a two-year timeframe, "Koya Moments" shows some breathtaking views of the sun rising over the Firth of Forth, a rainbow from Blackford Hill and the moon moving over parts of the Capital. It is accompanied by music by Philip Glass. Time lapse photography involves pointing the camera in one fixed direction and taking a picture every four seconds - and then playing it back at normal speed. So the clouds rush across the sky and shafts of sunlight race across the ground. So Scotland's changeable weather is also well illustrated! See YouTube.
Scottish Brass Band Championships
Last weekend saw 49 brass bands competing at the Caird Hall in Dundee for the Scottish Championship title. The winner was Kirkintilloch Brass Band and the runners up were Whitburn. Both bands will represent Scotland at the UK championships at the Albert Hall in London later this year. They will also compete at the European Brass Band championship in Stavanger, Norway.
Arctic Monkeys for Dundee
The City of Discovery is learning the hard way that keeping pop music fans happy is not easy. The organisers of a concert by The View at the Caird Hall in Dundee were severely criticised for the ticket scramble which left many fans disappointed - but allowed others to buy up to six tickets and sell them on at a profit on the Internet. But another coup for the venue will not see a repeat of that chaos. Fans for an Arctic Monkeys (illustrated here) gig were asked to register by 7pm on March 14 and tickets for the concert on April 17 were allocated randomly by computer, with everyone getting an equal chance. Arctic Monkeys were the biggest UK prize-winners at the recent Brit Awards, picking up awards for best British group and British album of the year.
Picture via Wikipedia.
Whisky Live Needs Bigger Venue
The Whisky Live show in Glasgow's George Square has proved to be so popular over the last three years that the organisers are moving this year's event to the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre to cope with the crowds. The dates are also changing, moving from September to November 2nd and 3rd. That will allow it to take place alongside the BBC Good Show - sounds most appropriate for the "water of life". Whisky Live now takes place in ten cities around the world, after starting up in Tokyo. It offers participants the opportunity to sample some of the greatest malts in the world and to meet the people who produce them, with samples included in the price of a ticket.
Scottish Culture Around the World
The main focus of the Scottish Snippets is news items, usually about Scotland but occasionally items from overseas are covered. The new "Scots Abroad" section, invites folk to write in about Scottish-related events in their part of the world. It allows publicity for them and an appreciation by others of just how much Scottish culture is perpetuated in every corner of the globe.
Tartan Day 2007
In 1998 the US Senate designated 6 April each year as Tartan Day "in recognition of the monumental achievements and invaluable contributions made by Scottish Americans." Previously, in some parts of the US, and in other parts of the world (notably Canada where a Tartan Day was already in place) special events had been held to celebrate this day. But the Senate resolution has provided a further impetus and a growing number of organisations and individuals are having their own local festivities. So that these events can gain further publicity within the world-wide Scottish community, and to allow as many people as possible to participate, the details of a number of these celebrations have been recorded on a Web page on Rampant Scotland. As far as possible, it has been updated for 2007 - but if you have any additions or amendments, please contact Scottie@RampantScotland.com. The events page itself is at Tartan Day Around the World.
Sunday and Mid-Week Football Results
Celtic 0 Rangers 1
Motherwell 0 Aberdeen 2
Dundee 0 Gretna 1
Partick Thistle 2 St Johnstone 0
Ross County 4 Hamilton 1
Dumbarton 1 Stenhousemuir 1
East Stirling 1 Arbroath 5
Osasuna (Spain) 1 Rangers 0 (Uefa Cup last 16. Rangers lose 2-1 on aggregate)
Bank of Scotland Premierleague Results - 17 March 2007
Heart of Midlothian 0 Dundee United 4
Inverness Caledonian Thistle 1 Dunfermline 3
Rangers 3 Aberdeen 0
Falkirk v Celtic will be played on Sunday.Scottish Football League First Division Results - 17 March 2007
Airdrie United 1 St Johnstone 2
Livingston 1 Gretna 1
Partick Thistle 0 Hamilton 2
Queen of the South 2 Dundee2
Ross County 2 Clyde 2Scottish Football League Second Division Results - 17 March 2007
Ayr United 4 Alloa 3
Brechin City 1 Raith Rovers 2
Cowdenbeath 2 Forfar 1
Stirling Albion 2 Greenock Morton 1
Stranraer 1 Peterhead 1Scottish Football League Third Division Results - 17 March 2007
Arbroath 0 East Stirling 0 (Match abandoned due to bad weather)
Berwick Rangers 2 East Fife 0
Elgin 3 Albion Rovers 0
Montrose 0 Queens Park 2
Stenhousemuir 5 Dumbarton 1
Albion v Stenhousemuir and East Stirling v Berwick Rangers are scheduled for Tuesday and East Fife v Dumbarton on Wednesday.League Tables
Rangers win over Celtic last Sunday is unlikely to stop Celtic from winning the SPL title as they are still 13 points ahead, with Sunday's game still to play. But win on Sunday, plus this Saturday's defeat of Aberdeen (with a hat-trick from Kris Boyd), has created a more comfortable margin of 7 points between the Ibrox club and Aberdeen. Hearts are still in 4th on the table - though a 4-0 defeat by Dundee United, who are in the bottom half of the table, was a disappointment for their fans. Dunfermline at the foot of the SPL have reduced the margin between them and St Mirren to 6 points with Saturday's win.
Scotland's Footballers 16th in the World
Two years ago, when Scotland was ranked 88th in the Fifa world football rankings, fans never dreamed that the team could soar to 16th so quickly. But Walter Smith took the same pool of players, added a few and dropped a few - and motivated the team to do better. Lat year, they were 62nd and, as the poor results of earlier years (under the previous manager Berti Vogts) drop out of the calculation, the impact of the improved results since Smith took charge are being fully felt. Smith has now left the job of looking after the national team and is now weaving his magic on Rangers. The new Scotland manager, Alex McLeish, has announced his squad for Scotland's next Euro 2008 qualifiers against Georgia and world champions Italy. McLeish will do well if Scotland remain at the top of their group after those two matches. The Fifa rankings show that Italy are 2nd from the top after Argentina. England are placed 6th, USA 30th, Australia 40th and Northern Ireland 51st.
France v Scotland Rugby International
At the start of this 6 Nations rugby match on Saturday, France knew that in order to win the championships they had to beat Scotland by a wide margin. At half-time they were in the lead - by just 20-14. They then put on a dazzling display which produced the points to snatch the trophy from Ireland with a try in the dying minutes of the match, with a scoreline of 46-19. The defeat and the scoreline meant that Scotland was left at the bottom of the 6 Nations tournament table. They had won only one match which was the same as Wales, but the massive 153 points scored against the Scots (in five games) gave them a much poorer points for/against total.
Rangers Crash Out of Uefa Cup
Rangers might have had hopes of winning through in the knock-out stage of the Uefa Cup and playing in the final in Glasgow's Hampden Stadium. The final will still be at Hampden, of course, but Rangers will not be on the pitch. After a 1-1 draw at home in Ibrox, Rangers had to score to overcome the away goal scored by the Spanish side. But in the end it was Osasuna who scored the only goal in the second leg on Wednesday. The club may also be in trouble with the football authorities after Rangers fans were involved in violent scenes inside the ground. Rangers claimed, however, that the Spanish police had not kept the opposing fans segregated properly and that they had been "heavy handed".
Scottish CIS Cup
The first trophy of this year's football season in Scotland will be won (and lost) on Sunday. With both Celtic and Rangers knocked out in earlier rounds, it is left to Hibernian and Kilmarnock to contest the trophy. On the way to the final, Kilmarnock defeated Queen of the South, Livingston, Motherwell and Falkirk, while Hibs disposed of Peterhead, Gretna, Hearts and St Johnstone. The bookmakers give Hibernian a slight edge, but in a Cup Final anything can happen. Like 1995, when Raith Rovers defeated Celtic in a penalty shoot-out.
Gretna Stadium Rethink
Having sped through the lower leagues and now poised to enter the Scottish Premier, Gretna and their owner Brooks Mileson have showed a towering ambition. So it should come as no surprise that the club is having a rethink about the redevelopment of their Raydale Park ground. They already have planning permission to create a 6,000-seater stadium, acceptable to the SPL. But despite having spent £200,000 on that project, they are now looking at the possibility of a stadium on another site in the area. That would allow them to have adjacent training provision and community facilities.
New Luxury Golf Resort for Stonehaven
You might have thought that Donald Trump's billion pound golf complex further up the coast would have curtailed similar developments. Not a bit of it. Plans were announced this week to create a luxury leisure complex complete with hotel, 18-hole championship golf course, shooting range, tennis courts and equestrian and fishing facilities on the 1500-acre Ury Estate on the outskirts of Stonehaven. The dilapidated Ury House, which has been empty since the 1950s, would be refurbished to become the club house and non-residential hotel with conference and function facilities. 16 self-catering cottages in a nearby walled garden would provide accommodation. The project would be cross-funded through the construction of 138 houses on the rest of the estate in a series of hamlets, linked by paths and cycle routes. Earlier plans were rejected by Stonehaven Community Council, but the latest changes have been welcomed in principal.
Andy Murray Reaches Semi-Finals in California
Despite needing treatment for an injury to his right foot in the first set and falling heavily on his left ankle in the second, Andy Murray came from behind to beat Tommy Haas in the quarter-finals of the Indian Wells Masters in California on Friday. He said afterwards that he couldn't explain how he had managed to win after suffering from knocks to his ankle, hip and knee during the match. Murray now plays Serbia's Novak Djokovic in the semi-final - the first time the Scot has been in a Masters semi-final.
Scotland's Cricketers Soundly Beaten by Australia
The opening match in the cricket World Cup was always going to be a tough one for Scotland. Even bringing some Scottish drizzle to St Kitts in the West Indies didn't do anything for the team as Australia batted first - and went out of sight with 334 runs for six wickets in the allotted 50 overs. Scotland's batsmen then struggled to score and could only manage a poor 131 runs before they were all out, losing by 203 runs. The winning margin was only the third time it has been over 200 in World Cup history. It doesn't get any easier for Scotland next week, when they play South Africa on Tuesday. Two days later they are playing fellow minnows Netherlands.